


Shattered

by piecesofseikatsu



Series: Red Geraniums [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 21:01:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5980788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piecesofseikatsu/pseuds/piecesofseikatsu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Part 1 of Red Geraniums series)</p><p>If she were really lucky and brave and smart and beautiful --- a perfect Ladybug, this wouldn't happen. But under Ladybug's black spots were the freckles of shy, sometimes klutzy Marinette Dupain-Cheng.</p><p>The same Marinette who ruined everything single-handedly.</p><p>(Major Angst.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shattered

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction so I am really excited about this! If there is no change in plans, I plan to write a sequel (or maybe even a prequel) to this!  
> Okay, I'll stop blabbering. I hope you enjoy reading!

"I'm so sorry," whispered Marinette. "God, it's all my fault."

Adrien shook his head. He remained kneeling at an unmoving Hawkmoth--Gabriel Agreste's-- side. Marinette listened to him inhale sharply before he replied her. "Don't," Adrien answered with a cool expression as he got up. "It's not like you asked Hawkmoth to akumatize me, right?" He threw his head backward and laughed a bitter laugh that made Marinette flinch.

Marinette took a deep breath and walked a few steps forward. "Look, Ch---I mean, Adrien, you're obviously not okay," she said softly. "Talk to me. We're partners, aren't we?"

Adrien stared at Marinette straight. Marinette could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she counted the shades of emerald in his eyes. If only they had revealed their identities in different circumstances, things would be certainly less tense and less dramatic.

"Thank you," Adrien smiled Chat's trademark grin. Marinette should feel her heart take a leap but all she could feel was the butterflies---more like akumas --- fluttering violently in her stomach.

She was right.

"I still can't believe you were Ladybug," Adrien sighed, shooting Marinette a tight smile. Marinette couldn't return his courtesy. "Never in my wildest dreams would I see that shy girl sitting behind me saving Paris."

Marinette's heart sank at his condescending tone and yet she forced herself to speak. Adrien needed a reply. "I'll treat that as a compliment," she answered with as much cheerfulness and confidence she could muster, which was hard since she was no longer Ladybug. I need to smile, Marinette chided in her brain, but her lips didn't seem to respond, curving downwards on their own.

"Whatever that makes you sleep at night," Adrien leaned against the purple wall.

Morning light was starting to come in the attic loft through the glass windows carved into a flower pattern. Marinette saw the irritation and hatred flashing in his weary face. Marinette had never ever witnessed neither Chat Noir nor Adrien Agreste being this stony or difficult. But she knew he had a right to, she thought as she clenched her hands, which were hanging limply by her sides into fists. She shouldn't expect him looking up to her with admiration when she was responsible for his father---her goddamn idol's (she screamed in the back of her mind) death. Usually they would punch their fists together and end their mission with a gleeful 'Pounded it!' and perhaps talk for a while with Chat sharing a few of his endearingly lame jokes.

_Chat hovering over Ladybug to protect her from Timebreaker._

_Chat throwing himself in front of Ladybug to succumb to Dark Cupid._

_Chat taking Ladybug into his steady, warm hold after defeating Animan in relief._

_Chat displaying his wide toothy grin when he knew he had succeeded in annoying Ladybug._

_Chat shouting that incredibly cheesy 'My lady' everytime he saw her..._

It was only when Marinette blinked that she realized tears were making their way to her cheeks. Quickly, she turned around abruptly to the darkness and lowered her head. Marinette knew those tender moments and the bond she shared with Chat Noir were all shattered and gone, like the pieces of Miraculouses lying on the ground at her feet. Her stomach did another flip as images of Tikki and Plagg, her kwami and that of Adrien flashed in her brain. They were permanently lost, Marinette mourned. All because of her.

She should've ignored Tikki's pleading and just give Chat her civilian identity. Then she wouldn't have to have Chat akumatized and everything good gone.

"Go home."

Marinette froze at the coldness of Adrien's voice. She didn't dare to even look at his face. "I'll cover it up," he explained. "One person is enough."

_You are not needed._

_Ha, it's such a joke that you actually are ---oops, were Ladybug. Lucky Charm? Not so much._

Marinette nodded tiredly, tired enough to not notice the squeaking of her flats against the floor. Maybe this was the sadness and struggle Chat Noir battled every single day, in both his civilian form and as Ladybug's partner. If she were really lucky and brave and smart and beautiful --- a perfect Ladybug, this wouldn't happen. But under Ladybug's black spots were the freckles of shy, sometimes klutzy Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The same Marinette who ruined everything single-handedly.

"Goodbye, Adrien," she hesitated at the door, standing erect, making sure she was not squirming or hiding. "Goodbye...Chat."

Marinette ran away, almost tripping down the long, seemingly never-ending staircase of the Agreste Mansion. A coward she was, but what could a coward do to fix this mess? She relieved that Hawkmoth and his akumas were destroyed by the Miraculouses. Because they would definitely get to her now if they had still existed.

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo... how was it? 
> 
> Please comment and let me know your thoughts. I would love to improve :) 
> 
> If you honestly loved this crap, please give me a kudo (I know I'm demanding lol) 
> 
> Thanks for reading, no matter what!
> 
> Shoyii x


End file.
